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PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

AND SOCIETY DRAMA 

BY 

DELBERT M. STALEY, A.M., Ph.D. 

Author of “The Psychology of the Spoken Word"' 

ASSISTED BY 

HELEN C. CULVER 



BOSTON 

RICHARD G. BADGER 

THE GORHAM PRESS 







Copyright, 1918, by Richard G. Badger 


All Rights Reserved 




Made in the United States of America 


The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. 

JUl 25 1918 


©CI.A501259 




* \ 


t> ^ 




Bebtcateb 

TO THE ALUMNI 

THE COLLEGE OF THE SPOKEN WORD 













* 



















For timely suggestions and helpful criticisms, due 
appreciation is extended Miss Caro Atherton, Miss 
Minnie Brown and Mrs. Mabel Athalane Hardy; 
also Mr. George Sepp for the drawings. 




















































































PREFACE 


Psycho-Gymnastics fills a much needed place— 
a vital long-felt want. It is a book that will 
appeal not only to the teacher, but to the pupil— 
not only to the professional but to the layman. 
The style is clear and concise, easily compre¬ 
hended by all. Technical terms have been avoid¬ 
ed as much as possible, but wherever their use 
was found necessary, they have been well and most 
carefully defined. 

In the treatment of this subject the authors 
show the result of their deep and profound knowl¬ 
edge of the work. From their great store-house 
of experience, they have painstakingly selected 
only the most beneficial and essential exercises, 
which will fit the individual for every occasion. 
Psycho-Gymnastics is first and foremost related 
to life—life in its complete development. A 
careful study of its contents will richly repay the 
reader, for he will find himself better fitted to 
cope with every emergency. He will feel that he 
has obtained a new physical and mental poise, 
increased confidence in his own ability, and the 
power to make himself master of any situation. 

Bertha Pizitz. 


I 


7 












































































































































































































CONTENTS 


PART I 


PACE 


I. 

PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 



15 


The Lungs as Blood Filters 



15 


The Diaphragm in Deep Breathing . 



16 


The Correct Posture .... 



17 

II. 

OUTLINE. 



18 

III. 

THE “GRASP”. 



19 

IV. 

OBJECT OF THESE GYMNASTICS . 



20 

V. 

NORMAL ADJUSTMENT . 



25 


Constriction-Relaxation .... 



27 

VI. 

ONENESS. 



28 


Exercises Under Oneness 



32 

VII. 

CENTRALIZATION . . 



34 


Detail of Exercises Under Centralization 



40 

VIII. 

EQUILIBRATION ..... 



43 


Exercises for the Different Agents 



44 

IX. 

TRANSITION. 



48 


Standing Transition .... 



49 


Transition to Free Foot 



50 


Transition to Strong Foot ..... 
Preparatory Steps for the Assimilation of Char- 

50 


acter. 



5 i 


Seated Transition. 



52 

X. 

OPPOSITION .. 



52 


Harmonic Expansion of the Hand 



53 

XI. 

POISE. 



53 


Tests for Poise. 



55 


Exercises for Obtaining Poise 



56 


Presence and Bearing .... 



57 

XII. 

ELEMENTAL ACTS AND ATTITUDES * 



58 


Head, Agent of Intellectuality 



59 


Attitudes of the Feet .... 



60 

XIII. 

WALKING. 



63 

XIV. 

GESTURE . 



66 


9 










10 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

XV. NOTES.68 

The Thorax.68 

The Diaphragm.68 

Object of These Gymnastics .... 71 

Voice or Body First? ...... 72 

Constriction-Relaxation.72 

Oneness.73 

Centralization ....... 74 

Equilibration . . . . . . . *75 

Transition ........ 76 

Poise. 76 

Walking.78 

Gesture.79 

Health and the Correction of Irregularities . 79 

PART II 

Society Drama.85 

Stage “Pictures”.85 

Platform and Stage Rules ...... 86 

Ascending and descending the platform . . 86 

Position on the platform ..... 86 

Preparation in Sitting.86 

Sitting.87 

Sitting on the platform ...... 88 

Preparation in rising ...... 89 

Kneeling.89 

Kneeling on a chair ...... 90 

Kneeling on platform or stage .... 90 

Entering and Leaving a Room .... 90 

Handling a Train. 91 

Stage Fall.91 

Stage.93 

Crossing Legs ....... 93 

Society Drama Notes ..-94 

















INTRODUCTION 

WHY THE POSTURE OF THE BODY AFFECTS 
THE HEALTH 

Not one person in a hundred understands the 
correct posture of the body in its relation to health, 
even in spite of Hygiene as taught in the public 
schools. The question naturally arises as to the 
bearing the attitude of the body has on the in¬ 
dividual. 

The scientist points to certain internal disorders 
having an analogy in animals whose interior 
mechanism closely resembles our own. Man on 
all four accommodates his inner organs to their 
logical order. The ribs and the powerful ab¬ 
dominal muscles then afford a support that is 
absent on his standing upright. These facts are 
so easily exemplified and ascertained without tech¬ 
nicalities that the verdict of the pathologist may 
be dispensed with for the time being. 

The appearance of the contents of a half-filled 
trunk when tipped on end illustrates what takes 
place when one rises from his hands and knees: the 
organs lie on one another and in close quarters. 

This condition is more decided when the body 


12 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


is carried in a slovenly manner; the lungs and 
heart press down on the liver, the liver on the 
stomach, and so on until the final burden rests on 
the intestines. This pressure accounts in a large 
measure for protruding abdomens, which are com¬ 
mon to so many men, and which would be more 
noticeable in women but for reasons of dress. 

Nature, never blind to our handicaps, made it 
possible for Man to stand in an attitude that 
palliates these internal disadvantages, as will be 
explained. 

The First Part of this book, devoted to Psycho- 
Gymnastics, deals primarily with exercises express¬ 
ing intelligence; that is, every exercise outlined 
herein should be performed because of an enjoy¬ 
able appreciation not only as to the exercise itself, 
but also for the end to be attained. 

The Second Part, devoted to Society Drama, 
or the Drama of life, deals with a phase of life re¬ 
quiring specific preparation and much observation 
in order to fit a boy or girl successfully for Life’s 
work. 

In dealing with this subject, we shall discuss 
fully how to enter a room; to open and close a 
door when entering and leaving a room; to rise 
from a chair, and to be seated in the presence of 
others upon the platform and elsewhere; to ascend 
and to descend a platform or rostrum; and to re¬ 
late one’s self with few or many people. 


PART ONE 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 





. 









PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS AND 
SOCIETY DRAMA 

I. PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 

The Lungs as Blood Filters 

“I’m going out for a little fresh air,” is an 
expression heard every day. Fresh air often 
stimulates when all else fails, and especially is this 
true when both the body and mind are exhausted. 

Regular living and deep breathing relieve con¬ 
ditions that will not yield to strychnine and to 
phosphate tonics. The busy man, “out of kil¬ 
ter,” leaves his office for a trip in the open. There 
the air is clearer, and so pleasant is the change 
that he breathes more deeply than customarily. 
Lo, and behold! the mental cobwebs vanish, and 
he resolves to keep away from business for the rest 
of the day. 

The cause of this improvement in condition is 
a simple one. In breathing more deeply the lungs 
become charged with a greater amount of oxygen. 
Oxygen is a food element to the blood. It is also 
a purifier. 


15 


16 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

It is patent that deep breathing feeds and puri¬ 
fies the blood. 

The Diaphragm in Deep Breathing 

Not a little has been said and written about the 
diaphragm and diaphragmatic breathing. Not¬ 
withstanding this, most people associate the dia¬ 
phragm with the ribs. In other words, they do 
not know what it is, much less do they realize its 
importance. 

Examine the anatomical plate. This great 
muscle (the diaphragm), when used and devel¬ 
oped, performs its function, dividing in two parts 
our internal mechanism, and thus preventing the 
dangerous downward pressure. Most people neg¬ 
lect the use of this muscle,—or less would be said 
and written about diaphragmatic breathing. 

The capacity of the stomach is about three pints. 
This was learned in primary school but will with¬ 
stand repetition, in view of how much more than 
three pints is frequently stuffed into this organ. 

When the body stands or sits wrongly, the 
organs sag and are subjected to the abnormal pres¬ 
sure mentioned. Consider the additional space 
taken by a gorged stomach in relation to pressure. 
Do not overlook that constipation is largely a 
matter of intestines, the particular organs that 
bear the brunt of the weight of the others! 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


i7 

Next study the size of the lungs in comparison 
with the other organs contained within the trunk 
of the body. They are a mass of intricate blood 
vessels.exposing the blood to the air from which 
they derive oxygen and other elements, and in turn 
filter the blood. 

Pure blood goes with good health. Everything 
that will assist the lungs to perform their functions 
is a step toward health. In order, however, to 
give the lungs the freedom deserved, the body 
must be carried properly. 

The Correct Posture 

.Figure 9 illustrates the correct posture when 
sitting. It needs no comment aside from what 
happens to the pelvic bone in contrast to Figure 
10. The outline in Figure 10 resembles that of 
a person suffering from spinal curvature. Actual 
support for the body is not to be expected from 
chairs. 

Figure 2 is an example of the correct pos¬ 
ture of the body when standing, for a perpendicu¬ 
lar line can be drawn from the crown of the head 
to the balls of the feet. The weight of the body 
should be thrown on the balls of the feet, not on 
the heels or toes. < 

Learn to stand, walk and sit as Nature intended 
you should, namely, in the posture that allows the 
least pressure of the inner organs and permits dia- 


18 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

phragmatic breathing, as illustrated in Figure 9. 

Remember the object lesson of the half-filled 
trunk that is tipped on end. Stand correctly. 
You will look better, feel more comfortable and 
enjoy health. These make for contentment. 
What more can we long for! 

II. OUTLINE 

Psycho-gymnastics is the harmonious develop¬ 
ment of all parts, or all muscles of the body, so 
that they will respond to each mental activity. It 
is an endeavor to bring all parts of the body har¬ 
moniously to an intellectual center, and its pur¬ 
pose is to enable the body to express all forms of 
thought, emotion and will. 

The Important Psychological Center for 
psycho-gymnastic training is in the region of the 
notch of the sternum. 

I. Oneness or Uniformity of Texture is a har¬ 
monious relation of the body as a whole or en 
masse. 

II. Unification or Centralization is a har¬ 
monious development, and relation, of all agents 
around the definite center, the point upon which 
we commence to work for the mastery of Poise. 

III. Equilibration is the liberation of all 
parts around the psychic center. 

IV. Transition is a change of thought ex- 





AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


*9 

pressed or revealed through Voice and Action. 
It is the transfer or change of the body from one 
attitude to another, which immediately follows a 
new thought. 

V. Opposition is the act of all agents moving 
in opposite directions to one another, other things 
being equal. It is the opposition of gesture that 
suggests the spirit of strength, and every gesture, 
unless you wish it otherwise, should reveal 
strength. Parallel actions suggest weakness. 

VI. Poise is an ideal, centrally-sustained 
equilibrated body, during its performance of 
mental demands,—the right relation of man with 
God. 

VII. An Elemental Act is the simplest act an 
agent may perform. 

VIII. An Elemental Attitude is a form, com¬ 
posite or complex, expressing a definite purpose 
of the mind. 

IX. A Function is the specific act or purpose 
of an agent. 

X. Gesture is an act of any agent of the body. 
It is the outward expression of inward thought. 
In reading, when a new idea is born the old one 
dies; so it is with gesture. 

III. THE “GRASP” 

When a speaker appears before an assembly, 
the most important thing for him to do is to 


20 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

“grasp” the audience at the beginning. This is 
not done by what he may say, but rather by the 
presence and the manner in which he presents him¬ 
self to the people. 

The bearing appeals first to the eye of the 
listener who intuitively takes a mental measure¬ 
ment of the speaker, and rarely changes his 
opinion. 

Many an excellent composition has been con¬ 
sidered flat simply because of the slouchy, indif¬ 
ferent, or conceited condition revealed through 
the speaker’s bearing upon the platform. These 
unfortunate conditions are due chiefly to the lack 
of early training, both at home and at school. 

Many schools, in preparing their program for 
study and exercise, devote little or no time to the 
matter of the presence of the student. In fact, 
in most institutions of learning, only one or two 
periods a week are allowed for gymnastics. 

What is needed, and what we shall endeavor to 
give, is a plan by which the boys and girls may 
be trained to represent morally, mentally, and 
physically the highest type of humanity. 


IV. OBJECT OF THESE GYMNASTICS 

The main object of these gymnastics is to en¬ 
able the student to have a set or series of exer- 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 21 

cises which can be used at any time during spare 
moments, or rather exercises that will require the 
least effort, yet bring about the greatest possible 
results; also, the primal object of these exercises 
is for the establishment of a uniform development 
of the muscles of the body, externally and inter¬ 
nally, so that they may be prepared for endur¬ 
ance and evolution, and thus bring about a state 
of activity and passivity of the agents of the body; 
that is, while one agent is performing its function, 
the other agent or agents should be at peace or 
resting. 

In the exercises given, none should ever be at¬ 
tempted without definite thought and precision. 
There should never be any sense of hurry or nerv¬ 
ous tension; and in making transitions from one 
exercise to another, sufficient time should be al¬ 
lowed during the process of changing in order that 
the exercised agents may calmly and peacefully 
seek their rest, while the non-exercised agent or 
agents may become slowly a'wakened, thus avoid¬ 
ing a possible shock to the nervous system. 

The Physiological and Psychological cente'rs, or 
divisions of the body, to be trained, are the head, 
intellectual; the torso, containing the heart and 
lungs, vital-vital; the diaphragm, vital emotional; 
the limbs, forceful; the upper limbs, vital force; 
the lower limbs, forceful force. In the training 
of these divisions, it is essential and absolutely 


22 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

necessary to observe carefully and conscientiously 
the following points: 

First, intellect—one should learn the great law 
of concentration and mental appreciation of 
words, ideas and thoughts. This can be done 
only by concentration upon one given thing at a 
time. One of the best helps in learning to con¬ 
centrate is to take part in public speaking and 
debate. 

Second, vitality, or vital training, can be ac¬ 
complished best through expansion of the torso 
to its normal capacity so that the vital agents have 
an opportunity for freedom of activity; for in all 
situations and conditions of life, there is a great 
demand upon the vital agents, such as the lungs 
and the heart. 

Third, the diaphragm,—or the emotional vital 
center, the solar or sun center, sometimes anatom¬ 
ically called the “solar plexus,”—should be defi¬ 
nitely trained. Then the struggle in teaching con¬ 
trol of emotion has been eliminated, provided 
correct breathing and the fundamental conditions 
for voice have been adhered to,—passivity of 
throat and face, stability of chest, and activity of 
the diaphragm; for without the combination of all 
these conditions, it will be impossible to express 
any great emotion. 

Fourth, the forceful centers, namely, the arms 
and the legs, should be so trained as to liberate 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


23 

a portion of the agents without constricting other 
parts. One should be able to concentrate the 
mind’s attention in the forearm, allowing the hand 
to hang pendent and free at the wrist, and also in 
the upper arm, thus permitting arm and forearm 
to hang perpendicularly and entirely relaxed. 

Having mastered the above conditions, one 
must continually practice so as to enter into and 
be responsive to normal and abnormal emotions. 
As a result, he will be able to control the emo¬ 
tional center and to make instantaneous transi¬ 
tions from different degrees of feeling into the 
antithetic with no apparent sign of confusion; that 
is,—with careful training, the mind can climb to 
the heights of joy and descend into the depths of 
sorrow, yet have complete control of each emotion 
without constriction in any part of the body. The 
mind thus reveals only the passing struggle during 
the process or rather through the step known in 
the Grammar of the Spoken Word 1 as Pause. 

A carefully concentrated perseverance in this 
specific direction will eliminate hysterical dissipa¬ 
tion, for hysteria is the result of dissipated energy 
founded upon concentration along the 'lines of 
sensuous centrality and self-pity. 

The head is the agent of intellect. Therefore, 
all people whose purpose in life is to appear be¬ 
fore the public as lecturers, teachers, interpreters, 

1 “Psychology of the Spoken Word.” 


24 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


actors or singers, have a great tendency to be led 
by and to appeal to the intellect; but in presenting 
subject matter to an auditor or audience, we must 
evade the protrusion of the intellect upon the lis¬ 
tener, for in so doing we only awaken opposition 
and, many times, discord. 

Then the opposite of this: Take, for example, 
the feet or the forceful agents of the body,—the 
agents through which the mind’s forceful thoughts 
are expressed; we find that performers, in their 
endeavor to force home the thought they wish to 
convey, will unconsciously be very active and not 
a little uneasy upon their feet, and attempt to 
force their ideas into the minds of their listeners 
by stamping and striding about. 

One cannot force an art, an ideal, a truth, or 
a religion upon another; neither can these things 
be taken away by the process of force. “You may 
kill the body, but not the soul.” Appeal to the 
heart, and you will reach the intellect. 

The notch of the sternum is the centrifugal 
center from which, to which, and about which all 
attraction and repulsion, gravitation, radiation 
and levitation should emanate in passing from one 
point to another. Every agent of the body must 
act in proper relation to, and every thought must 
spring from, the divine center. There should 
never for an instant be any suggestion of the ab¬ 
sence of this concentrated, sustained, tenacious 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


25 

contact of that universal uplifting influence. When 
this is present, even in your passive moments, you 
will retain the power of self-control. This is 
what directs our interest toward certain indi¬ 
viduals and distinguishes them from the ordinary 
passersby. 


V. NORMAL ADJUSTMENT 

0 

In attempting to teach the subject of Gymnas¬ 
tics, we find that there is a necessity, first, of nor¬ 
mally adjusting the pupil. The abnormal manner 



Figure i 
Abnormal. 



Figure 2 Figure 3 

Normal. Relation of feet in 

standing. 



ILLUSTRATION ABNORMAL AND NORMAL 




2 6 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

in which both young and old people have been 
taught to stand, walk, and sit, necessitates this 
principal step. Therefore, before it is possible 
to begin with the step to establish a center in 
man, it is quite essential to adjust the body to a 
normal state; that is, erect, as God intended. 

See figure 2. 

There are various ways of accomplishing this. 
The following are a few which will prove bene¬ 
ficial, both physiologically and psychologically: 
First, place the student squarely upon two feet; 
see that he stands as erect as is possible with his 
present enlightenment; observe that the abdomen 
is drawn well in, and that the notch of the sternum 
is far enough advanced so that the spinal column 
from the first curve, between the shoulders to the 
waistline, is absolutely perpendicular. When the 
student stands in this position, we find that there is 
a tendency to depression of the chest. Have the 
student place the back of one hand on the small 
of the back, and the palm of the other hand on 
the chest, then endeavor through muscular exten¬ 
sion to press the hands apart. If this method is 
not successful, then have the student extend the 
hands horizontally in front of the body, reaching 
as far out as possible, grasp some definite imagin¬ 
ary object securely within both hands, and draw 
it toward him, simultaneously turning the palms 
up as the elbows are carried past and close to the 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 27 

body; then relax arms, holding chest erect. Use 
the same exercise by reaching the arms above the 
head, stretching them up as far as possible, then 
draw down as though lifting one’s self up by the 
hands. 

Exercise: Reach the arms well out at the sides, 
then bring the palms slowly together by apparently 
pressing some object between them; then w T hen the 
palms touch again move them away from each 
other and pretend to tear the object apart— 
muscles must be tense—then relax. As the arms 
are drawn back, see that the abdomen is well in. 

Exercise: Lie face downward upon the floor, 
palms turned in and flat on the floor beneath your 
chest, keep body straight and lift yourself from the 
floor. Also on the side lift yourself from the 
floor with one hand. Repeat all the preceding 
exercises many times . 2 

Constriction—Relaxation 

Because a man has two legs on which to stand is 
no reason why he should rest the entire weight 
of the body on both legs at the same time. Even 
the dumb brute, having four legs to stand upon, 
usually has one and very frequently two legs rest¬ 
ing while the others are in activity. While our 


* In all cases during the practice of these exercises see that 
you retain your normal breathing. Do not allow yourself to 
hold your breath during the process. 


28 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


four-footed friend instinctively adopts the out¬ 
lined plan of Nature, man through his superior 
knowledge attempts to outstrip Nature, and would 
eventually make a one-legged personage of him¬ 
self, for he would be obliged to hop about upon 
his two legs as though they were one. This would 
soon bring about a contracted condition which 
could only be eliminated by the legs being ampu¬ 
tated. The natural rhythmic flow found in a 
good walk should be applied in standing and sit¬ 
ting, that is, one foot should be at rest or passive 
while the other should be laboring or active. 

The transference of a constriction is not the 
removal of a constriction. The exercises given 
under Equilibration and Concentration are the 
best remedies for the removal of constriction. 
While the same exercises will apply to muscular 
constriction, yet when muscles are found to be too 
constricted to be eliminated either by physical, or 
mental exercises, we would suggest manipulation 
by one who thoroughly understands the muscles 
of the body—their functions and relations. 


VI. ONENESS 

We find in all great art that the first requisite is 
to take the thing to be dealt with as a whole. In 
glancing at a landscape from the brush of the 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


29 

painter, and in every picture at first glance, we see 
the thing as a unit or one. After considerable con¬ 
centration on the picture as a whole, we begin to 
study a part or particular parts, rather than 
to concentrate on the picture as a mass. So the 
sculptor must first take his block of marble seeing 
within it the one representation, whether in figure 
or figures. Nevertheless, the concept, the one 
thing to be accomplished, is uppermost in his 
mind. The same applies to the wood-carver, in 
fact, to every form of art as well as to Nature 
itself; hence the reason for beginning to work 
upon the body as a whole, or as one. In the de¬ 
gree that we are enabled to establish the Oneness 
by eliminating the succession of wiggles or breaks 
at different points in the body, so will we lay 
the foundation stone upon which we can build; or 
in the language of Delsarte, “By establishing a 
center we liberate the surface,” arid vice versa. 

We find that Oneness may be lost at the shoul- # 
ders, chest, center of the body, hips, and at the 
knees. The establishment of this Oneness in the 
body is not only a most desirable physiological 
endowment, but it has a most wonderful psycho - 
logical effect upon the individual who is perform¬ 
ing, as well as upon his auditors. 

The individual should carry himself so as to 
express the immovable, back of the movable,—the 
greatest potential power in mankind. This pow- 


3 o PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

er is expressed most forcibly in the highest de¬ 
veloped brutes, such as the lion, horse, elephant, 
tiger, cat, and many of the dogs. It is es¬ 
pecially exemplified in all animals when thoroughly 
aroused—the cat about to pounce upon his prey, 
the dog scenting game, the tiger, or the lion slowly 
approaching the object of his desire, also the 
elephant when he has been outraged by the 
dastardly act of an individual or of another ani¬ 
mal. The wonderful suggestion and the power of 
repose illustrated in the above-mentioned ani¬ 
mals will serve as an excellent observation lesson 
to those who have eyes and can see. 

Who has not observed the oncoming train, or 
the stateliness of the mighty ocean liner as it 
ploughs the waves, the aeroplane as it circles in 
the air above the head and gracefully alights on 
the ground. Each and all of these things seem 
to say to mankind, “Master the Oneness which 
God has given you.” Who cannot but think as he 
gazes into the starry heavens at night, and beholds 
the countless stars and planets steadily performing 
their functions, or observes the sun in its course 
during the day, that here is another lesson in the 
great Oneness of God’s plan. God made man up¬ 
right, and we should not, at any time, under any 
circumstances, break and destroy the Oneness of 
the body of man. 

There are two ways by which one can master 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


3 i 

this step. First and foremost is the Psychologi¬ 
cal: namely, the sense of upliftment, or of being 
sustained and borne up by the “Everlasting 
Arms.” When one has mastered this and become 
cognizant of this wonderful uplifting power, then 
the physiological paths which will follow are read¬ 
ily and most easily accomplished. 

The following exercise will serve to help in the 
mastery of Oneness: Weight upon both feet, 
body held erect and unconstricted, slowly carry 
the weight to the balls of the feet; then allow the 
weight to be slowly carried back to the heels. 
Observe that there are no breaks in any part of 
the body except at the ankles, the vertebrae un¬ 
der all circumstances being strictly perpendicular 
from the waistline upward to the first natural 
curve in the body. Allow the weight to be car¬ 
ried slowly forward to the balls of the feet by 
the concentrated application and sense of levita¬ 
tion and exaltation, until the body poises upon the 
tips of the toes, and then slowly allow the body 
to gravitate or be lowered toward the earth as 
delicately and as buoyantly as a bird would alight 
upon a branch. This exercise should be constantly 
repeated over and over until there is sufficient 
mental grasp to sustain the erectness and especially 
the Oneness of the body, for without the 
mastery of this first step, the second will be im¬ 
possible. 


3 2 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


Exercises Under Oneness 

1. Equal expansion of the Torso. One hand 
on the center of the back and one hand on the 
chest. Expand, pressing hands apart, give up and 
then press them apart, at the same time breathe 
naturally. Use muscles only—do not expand by 
inflation. 3 

a. Place one hand on back and one on chest. 

b. Expand—relax. 

c. Expand—inhale—exhale. 

d. Expand—inhale. Whisper passively. 

e. Expand—inhale. Whisper actively. 

2. Place hands horizontally in front of the 
body, apparently take hold of something and 
draw back as far as arms will allow, bringing el¬ 
bows close to and past the body until chest is ex¬ 
tended; keep this position on both feet. 

3. Weight being upon both feet, thrust the 
arms vertically over the head and then relax arms, 
letting them drop down to the side, touching chest 
as they fall. This may be done in counts of 
three. 

4. Weight being upon both feet, extend the 
arms out to the side, fix the mind upon the tips of 
the fingers—stretch—and stretch—in both direc¬ 
tions. 

8 This is a most important exercise to bring about correct 
breathing and chest expansion. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


33 

5. Weight upon both feet, reach up and grasp 
an imaginary rope, keeping the muscles tense. 
Pull down. 

6. Place hands horizontally in front of the 
body, turn the palms out, apparently take hold of 
something and draw back the arms to the chest; 
then push arms out at side as far as possible, con¬ 
centrating attention upon the tips of the fingers, 
stretch and relax, dropping arms at the side. 

7. Weight evenly divided over both feet—feet 
close together. 

a. Slowly carry weight back to the heels. 

b. Slowly carry weight forward to the balls 

of the feet. 4 

8. Slowly rise on balls of feet. 5 

a. Slowly sink, keeping the weight on the 
balls of the feet, and body erect. Re¬ 
peat this exercise many times. 

9. Weight on both feet, energize one leg and 
slowly surrender the other. 6 

a. Change weight to other leg and surrender 
strong leg. 

See figure 3. 

4 Repeat several times without breaking the body at any point 
except at the ankles. 

5 In this exercise of slowly rising on the balls of the feet, there 
should be a sensation of being drawn up from the center, that 
is, from the notch of the sternum (torso). See that the notch of 
sternum is perpendicular to base of support (balls of the feet). 

•This is the preparatory exercise for Centralization. See ex¬ 
planation in full under Normal Adjustment. 


34 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


VII. CENTRALIZATION 

We have already brought out the idea under the 
subject “Oneness” that we first deal with an object 
en masse. We look first upon a picture as a com¬ 
plete thing; we gaze upon a forest or a vast range 
of mountains, seeing the view as a whole. When 
the first generic or general impression has imprint¬ 
ed an indelible picture upon the memory, the mind 
then becomes focussed upon some central point 
which is usually the most attractive point in the 
object or view over which the eye is passing. The 
eye having centered itself upon this focal or par¬ 
ticular point, the mind proceeds to concentrate 
upon the next important point, and so on through¬ 
out the entire picture or object of concentration, 
until all is carefully observed. Thus it is in con¬ 
centrating the attention upon the body. Having 
established Oneness in the individual, it is quite 
necessary to establish a central point so that each 
agent may be able to perform its function without 
interfering either with its own energized or de¬ 
vitalized state, or with the energized or devit¬ 
alized state of another agent. 

A careful observation of the well-developed and 
thoroughly-mastered individual as a whole will 
show, almost simultaneously, that somewhere in 
close proximity to the notch of the sternum one’s 
attention is arrested; so we proceed to consider 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


35 , 

exercises which may bring about, if faithfully 
worked upon, the same result in all individuals. 
Again quoting from Delsarte, “By liberating the 
surface we establish a center” and vice versa; and 
in order to accomplish this unified relation of all 
agents about the center, we proceed as follows: 

Weight upon both feet; begin by slowly sur¬ 
rendering one leg and by carrying the weight 
entirely over the ball of the other foot; 
the body must be kept squarely perpendicular, as 
though it were hung by some mystic thread upon 
an imaginary hook located somewhere in the 
region of the notch of the sternum, the free side 
must be entirely relaxed in order to allow the 
foot to move to the side. Having accomplished 
this important exercise slowly transfer the weight 
to the other foot, allowing no sag or rigidity to 
enter into the body. When you have thoroughly 
mastered this exercise, place the foot directly to 
the side and slowly transfer the weight to the free 
foot. 

Having repeated the exercise many times there 
will be a sense of mastery dominating, and you 
will then feel in concord with the great things of 
the Universe. The fundamental principles and 
all other exercises which follow are based upon the 
principle of rhythm; that is,—that in all nature 
some portion of the object or mass is at rest 
while another portion is in activity. You will 


3 6 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

observe in the grass of the field that some 
blades are being bended or shaken by the passing 
wind, while others are seemingly untouched, and 
even the bended blade, after having been pressed 
or twisted, returns to its normal position and 
stands for a long time in passivity. So it is with 
the waves in the ocean, the trees in the forest, 
and all natural objects in this terrestrial exist¬ 
ence. 

Yet in order to master fully this most wonder¬ 
ful step, it is necessary to continue work along 
the following lines: Have the weight well es¬ 
tablished over the ball of one foot, pass the free 
foot forward and backward until you are able to 
do it without disturbing the other agents of the 
body as a whole. When this exercise has been re¬ 
peated many times, pass the free foot across the 
strong foot, then back again and out at the side 
until there is no sense of disturbance during the 
process of this exercise. Place the free foot back, 
carrying the arm on the same side directly out 
horizontally in front of the body, and then pass 
the free foot forward, moving the arm on the 
same side down and back past the body in a semi¬ 
circular movement, seeing to it that the arm 
reaches the furthest point'of extension back of the 
body simultaneously with the extension of the foot 
in front; in other words, each agent should work 
harmoniously and co-operatively, departing and 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


37 

arriving at the same time in opposition exercises. 
This fundamental principle must be carried out or 
the result will be chaotic, not uniform. 7 

After having mastered the preceding exercise 
until there is a rhythmic harmonious response, 



Figure 4. 


place the free foot directly out at the side, carrying 
the arm on the free side across the body until the 
palm of the hand rests upon the opposite shoul¬ 
der; move the arm and the leg in lateral opposi- 

T Avoid the thoughtless performance of any and all external 
exercises, for it is useless to attempt them unless they are prac¬ 
ticed with careful concentration and successive interpretation. 





38 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

tion, passing the free foot across the strong foot. 
Be sure that the ball of the foot touches the floor 
and that the toe is out at the side, extended at its 
proper angle. 

Haying repeated this exercise with the here¬ 
tofore mentioned agents until a mastery is at¬ 
tained, proceed with the next exercise by passing 
the free foot directly back, extending the arm hori¬ 
zontally on the same side directly in front of the 
body until the hand is on a level with the 
shoulder, or even above; normally bow the head, 
fix the eye upon an object directly in front of and 
on a level with the eye, move head, arm and leg 
in triple opposition. When the student is able to 
perform successfully this exercise from five to ten 
minutes, he will then, be able to secure greater re¬ 
sults from whatever work may be demanded of 
him. 8 

The next exercise- is for concentration, viz.: 
Placing the foot at the side, arm carried horizon¬ 
tally across the body, the eye fixed on some object 
directly in front of and on a level with the eye, 
incline the head toward the free side; move head, 
hand and foot in lateral triple opposition. 

Another very important exercise is to place the 
free foot at the side, arm on the same side carried 


8 Note: This exercise is not only one of the most beneficial 
morally, mentally and physically for the establishment of poise, 
but it is also a most efficient factor for concentration. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


39 

to a curved position directly up and over the head, 
eye upon an object directly in front of and on a 
level with the eye, head inclined until it rests within 
the circle of the arm; move head, hand and foot in 
lateral triple opposition . 9 

Exercise: Place the free foot at the side, lift, 
let fall. Place free foot across the other leg, 
lift and let fall . 10 

Exercise: Place the free foot forward, arm 
on the same side carried down past the body, lift 
foot and arm simultaneously, move arm still fur¬ 
ther backward, moving arm and leg in opposition; 
let foot fall to floor, while arm simultaneously re¬ 
turns to its normal extended opposition; then move 
them still further in opposite direction until foot 
reaches farthest point in front of the body. Re¬ 
peat the exercise . 11 

9 Carry the head only so far as you are able to see the object 
upon which the eye is fixed. 

10 When lifting the free foot, whether it be forward or back¬ 
ward, the knee should be kept straight, and the entire leg lifted 
from the hip. In performing this and all other exercises, be 
sure that the activity of one agent in no wise interferes with 
or disturbs the passiveness or repose of any other agent; and 
in no wise should the use of any one, two, three or possibly four 
agents in any way disturb the centrality of the body. There 
should be no break at the knee. Repeat the above exercises 
with each leg until you feel a sense of differentiation, or until 
there is no inclination to break at the knee or to allow the 
process to disturb any portion of the body. 

11 In the beginning this exercise should be practiced slowly 
and for a short period of time, but never should be given up 
until one is able to continue it for at least five minutes, ten 
minutes being the maximum. Then and then only will one 
realize its advantages and true worth. 


40 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


Detail of Exercises Under Centralization 

1. Place free foot to the front, lift, let fall. 

2. Place free foot to the side, lift, let fall. 

3. Place free foot to the back, lift, let fall. 12 

4. Repeat with other foot. 

5. Place free foot to the side, bring it back 
to other foot, slowly take the weight upon free 
foot. 

6. Repeat with other foot. 

7. Place free foot to the side, take weight 
slowly over to free foot, until strong foot is lib¬ 
erated. 

8. Repeat with other foot. 

9. Place foot forward, take weight slowly for¬ 
ward to free foot until back foot is entirely liber¬ 
ated, and let fall. Place foot upon the floor. 

10. Place free foot back, take weight slowly 
back to free foot, until forward foot is easily 
drawn back with no weight upon it. 

11. Place free foot at side, toe in line with 
the other foot, and pointing toe down toward the 
floor. Carry weight slowly over the ball of the 
free foot. 13 

12. Repeat with the other foot very slowly. 

12 Be sure to keep the leg straight. 

13 Do not stick toe into the air. Keep the body erect and 
shoulders square. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


4i 

the 


Gradually increase the transference of 
weight. 14 

13. Weight on one foot, place free foot for¬ 
ward and then back. 

14. Repeat with other foot. 

15. Weight on one foot, place free foot at 
side, then across the body. 15 

16. Repeat with other foot. 

17. Weight upon one foot, arm on the side of 
free foot lifted horizontally in front of body, foot 
on the same side placed back, move arm and foot 
in opposition. 

18. Repeat with other arm and foot. 

19. Weight upon one foot, place free foot at 
side, arm on the free side across the body, lateral 
opposition of arm and foot. 

20. Repeat with other arm and foot. 

21. Weight upon one foot, arm on the side of 
free foot raised horizontally in front, head nor¬ 
mally bowed, eye fixed on an object on a level with 
and directly in front of the eye; move head, foot, 
and arm in triple opposition. 

22. Repeat, using head, other arm and foot. 

23. Weight upon one foot, place free foot at 
side, arm on the same side across the body, head 
inclined toward the free side, and the eye on an 

14 The more slowly the exercises are taken, the better. Thus 
you will bring about grace in your body. Not until ease and 
grace pervade the body can ease be revealed in the voice. 

15 Be careful not to twist the body. 


42 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

object; move head, foot and arm in triple oppo¬ 
sition. 

24. Repeat with head, other arm and foot. 

25. Weight upon one foot, gradually lift the 
free foot from the floor and gently sway the foot 
forward and backward. 

26. Repeat with other foot. 

27. Weight upon one foot, lift free foot from 
the floor, carry foot across in front of the other 
leg, swing around and carry back of strong foot. 
Swing leg well out to the side so the free leg is 
about at an angle of forty-five degrees with the 
strong leg. 

28. Repeat with other leg. 

29. Weight upon one foot, arm on the side of 
free foot lifted horizontally in front of body, 
gradually lift the free foot from the floor; gently 
sway the foot and arm in opposition. 

30. Repeat with other arm and foot. 

31. Weight upon one foot, place free foot at 
side, arm on the same side across the body, lift 
foot from floor; bring the foot in front across 
other foot without disturbing the rest of the body. 

32. Repeat with other foot and arm. 

33. Weight upon one foot, gradually lift the 
free foot from the floor, arm on the free side 
lifted horizontally in front of body, the head 
bowed, the eye on an object directly in front of and 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 43 

on a level with the eye; move head, arm and foot 
in triple opposition. See figure 4. 

34. Repeat with head, other arm and foot. 

35. Weight upon one foot, free foot to the 
side, arm on the same side across the body, head 
inclined toward the free side, bring the foot in 
front across the strong foot without disturbing the 
rest of the body. Swing head, hand and foot in 
lateral triple opposition. 

36. Repeat with head, other arm and foot. 16 

VIII. EQUILIBRATION 

Equilibration is the liberation of all parts 
around the definite center. 

Until we are liberated, we cannot be respon¬ 
sive and free. An agent cannot properly perform 
its function until it is liberated, and the better 
each agent is able to perform its function the 
greater is the mass. Some people think that the 
transference of a constriction is the elimination 
of it, but this is not true. “By establishing a cen¬ 
ter, we liberate the surface.” Let us see that we 
establish this center—that the surface may be 
free, for liberation changes an agent or agents 

18 Repeat the above exercises many times. This is the way 
to train an agent to perform its function. The better each 
agent is able to perform its own function so much greater is 
the man. He then comes into the realm of Universal educa¬ 
tion. 

I 


44 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

from the dead or inexpressive to the expressive 
and living. 

Exercises for the Different Agents 

Wrists. Arms carried horizontally in front of 
body, will centered in forearm, remove will from 
hand, move arm up and down; see that hands 
hang pendent and free from wrists. Repeat with 
palms in, out, up, and down. 

Fingers. Enmass the palm of the hand with 
forearm so that the palm of the hand becomes one 
with the forearm. Easily move the forearm with 
hand up and down; see that the fingers hang 
relaxed and limp as a whiplash would from a 
stock. 

Expedient. To liberate the fingers of the 
right hand, place thumb of the left hand in the 
palm of the right, concentrate until the fingers of 
the right become limp, then grasp the palm with 
the left hand and shake the right hand vigorously 
—the fingers of the same being entirely relaxed* 
Reverse the exercise; relax the fingers of the left 
hand in the same manner. 

Shoulders. Twist the body right and left, 
move shoulders forward and back, see that the 
arms hang relaxed and free from the shoulders. 
Repeat these exercises. Move the left shoulder 
up, back, down, forward. Repeat with other 


45 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 

shoulder. See that arms hang freely. 17 

Elbow. The great liberating exercise: Arms 
out horizontally at side. Remove will from the 
fingers, hand, forearm; center will in upper arm, 
break at the elbows; then take a broad base, 
weight upon both feet, sway the whole body from 
side to side until forearms hang pendent and re¬ 
laxed from elbows. Arms from elbows down 
should hang perfectly free and swing as the pen¬ 
dulum of a clock. 

Expedients, i. Lift both arms above the 
head or body as high as they will reach. Pull 
down, then throw out quickly. 

2. Arms horizontally forward in front of the 
body. Grasp an imaginary object, and imagine 
that while you are pulling it toward you with your 
hands it is resisting as hard as you are pulling. 
Bring arms back until elbows pass body, then 
quickly throw arms out seeing that they swing 
freely from the elbow. 

3. Drop the body forward to the waist, weight 
on both feet. Gradually lift the body, then give 
up the whole body to the waist. 

4. Sit on chair. Place arm over chair back. 
Will centered in upper arm, break at elbow, see 
that forearm hangs free. 

5. Sway the body right and left, lateral move- 

1T In all the above exercises, there should be no activity in 
the arms. They should hang lifeless at the side. 


4 6 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

ment, seeing to it that the forearms hang freely 
at the side. 

Hip. Stand in poise upon edge of an elevation 
of about ten inches, allowing free foot to hang 
limp at the side, lift hip, then lift leg from hip 
until upper leg is horizontal and lower leg is per¬ 
pendicular, quickly surrender, and let fall. Chest 
must be immovable. 18 

Knee. Lift leg from floor, and in so doing, 
see that ball of foot leaves floor last. Carry up¬ 
per leg horizontally in front of body, will cen¬ 
tered in upper leg, allowing lower leg to swing 
freely. 

. Torso. Close eyes, drop head upon chest, 
trunk and arms entirely relaxed, drop torso for¬ 
ward; slowly recover. Repeat same to left and 
right. 

Expedients, i. Arms up over head, give up. 
Do this exercise many times. 

2 . Carry the body slowly forward, first re¬ 
laxing the eyes until they close. Allow the head 
to sag until it falls upon the chest, and allow chest 
to sink in; then beginning with the uppermost bone 
in the spinal column, see that each one successively 
surrenders until the entire upper part of the body 
hangs limply and lifelessly forward, sustained 
only by the concentrated attention at the hips, 

“ If ball of foot strikes floor first, hip is probably free, though 
this is not always absolute proof. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 47 

while the knees are held firm and the legs abso¬ 
lutely straight. Then slowly rise—energizing the 
successive vertebrae from base upwards—head 
relaxed. 19 

If you are troubled with a flabbiness and fatty 
extension of the abdomen, a repetition of these 
exercises at night before retiring and also upon 
rising in the morning will eliminate the objection- 



Figure 5. 


able condition. The best exercise for this condi¬ 
tion, however, is to place one foot upon a chair, 
keep the knee straight and bend down as if about 
to tie a shoe. 

Another exercise is to bend forward to the 
floor and walk around on your hands and feet. 

19 This exercise should never be taken while wearing tight 
clothing about the waist. 



48 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


Neck. Carry head forward; surrender to 
gravity. Carry the head back, surrender to grav¬ 
ity; to the left, and surrender; to the right and 
surrender. Slowly rotate, and see that the neck 
is liberated at all points. 

Jaw . Carry head forward until chin rests upon 
the chest; lift head and apparently leave jaw on 
chest, shake sidewise seeing that jaw is relaxed. 20 

IX. TRANSITION 

There is no transition without a mental strug¬ 
gle resulting in either victory or failure in the mind. 

The eye having the closest telegraphic con¬ 
nection with the mind necessarily is the first agent. 
It responds to the slightest visible attraction and 
marshals the direction. 

Next to the eye, in responding to the action of 
the mind, is the face, hence transition in facial rela¬ 
tion. Then come the following:— 

Head. 

Fingers. 

Hand. 

Arm. 

Foot. 

Torso. 

Transition of head—pivot, incline, bow, lift.* 

20 The jaw may be more quickly liberated through the imagi¬ 
nation by conceiving a series of surprises. 

* Normal position of the head is taken for granted as a base. 


1 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


49 


Standing Transition 

/ 

In transferring the weight from one foot to 
another, or from one situation into another one, 
the law of locomotion should govern this transi¬ 
tion; there should be some object of attraction or 
repulsion. It should be started from the best in 
man, that is, somewhere within the region of 
the notch of the sternum, and unless this transi¬ 
tion or movement is characterized by such an 
activity, there is a shift in the body, but no tran¬ 
sition. A transition should always begin in the 
brain and end with the feet; that is, it should be 
made with the whole body—even the tissue. 

When making a transition in the direction of 
the free foot, there should be a step with the free 
foot. In moving toward the strong foot, the free 
foot should pivot and the movement should con¬ 
stitute a slight step through the pivot of the foot. 
When the strong foot is released it falls to its 
relative position, thus making a complete change 
in appearance, presence, and relation of the body. 
In all these transitions the outward sign is signi¬ 
fied through the eye first, the head next, then 
through the force or feet, then through the trans¬ 
ference of weight, and last, through the relation 
of the whole body. 

If the best of man or torso is not correctly re- 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


50 

lated when the movement is carried on, this 
will indicate that the man has, during the process 
of transition, found some cause to withhold his 
best from the individual or individuals toward 
whom he is transferring his weight or who is the 
cause of his attraction; for in a complete transi¬ 
tion, the body should be properly related with 
the object which either attracts or repels. How¬ 
ever, there are many physiological conditions 
which alter all transitory relations. 

Transition to Free Foot 

Eye in direction of free foot, carry the eye eas¬ 
ily to a definite point, head moving in the same 
direction on an equal point with the eye; place 
free foot easily back of strong foot, carry weight 
to free foot, allow body to relate itself. 

Transition to Strong Foot 21 

Eye toward the strong foot to a definite point, 
carry head easily to it, pivot heel of free foot well 
out, carry weight to free foot, which now becomes 
the strong foot, and allow heel of other foot to 
swing in and relate itself to strong foot as body 
relates itself with object. 

21 When moving toward the free foot there is a step. When 
moving toward the strong foot, there is a pivot. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 51 

Be careful that the body does not move faster 
than the eye and head. 

Preparatory Steps for the Assimilation of Char¬ 
acter 

Transition of 

1. Eye—head—step 1 —weight—relate: Ani¬ 
mation, then repose. 

2. Eye—head—pivot—weight—relate. Pros¬ 
tration, then recover ,(rising). 

3. Eye—head—step—weight—relate: Explo¬ 
sion, then recovery. 

4. Eye—head—pivot—weight—relate: En¬ 
feebled, repose. 

5. Eye—head—step—weight—relate: Vul¬ 
gar Ease, repose. 

6. Eye—head—pivot—weight—relate: Hes¬ 
itation, repose. 

7. Eye—head—step—weight—relate: An¬ 

tagonism, repose. 

8. Eye—head—pivot—weight—relate: Vacil¬ 
lation, repose. 

9. Eye—head—step—weight—relate: Re¬ 

pose (strong attitude). 

10. Take a broad step forward, throwing all 
the weight on the strong forward foot. Keep the 
body upright, and shoulders square; retired leg 
straight and relaxed. 


52 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


11. Take a broad step backward as in prostra¬ 
tion, or in a bow, weight entirely upon the retired 
leg. Observe conditions as in above exercise. 

12. Take a broad step to the right. (Observe 
conditions.) 

13. Take a broad step to the left. (Observe 
conditions.) 22 

Seated Transition 

The same law which applies to the standing 
transition is applicable in the seated one. There 
should never be a stolid, stable, stationary stop 
except to portray a definite sloppiness; and this 
is only to be found in characters suggesting a jelly¬ 
fish. The individual playing an active character 
should show in the lengths, as well as in the 
breadths, the gradation and radiation of the tran¬ 
sitory mental condition. The cause of these tran¬ 
sitions while in sitting posture should only be the 
result of relative values, objective and subjective. 

X. OPPOSITION 

Opposition of head and hand, palm toward 
face, then from face. 

Opposition of head and foot. 

Opposition of head and shoulder. 

22 Be sure that the upper part of torso leads first, and that it 
does not break at any part in moving forward, backward and 
sidewise. 


I - 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


53 


Opposition,—pivot, head and hand. 

Opposition,—affirmation of foot, and attesta¬ 
tion of hand, arm and leg. 

Opposition of arm, head and foot. 

Opposition—in a bow.* 

Opposition in the face, corners of lips, eyes, 
and nose. 

Opposition can reveal the greatest emotion in 
any part of the body with the surrender and re¬ 
covery of your chest. 

Harmonic Expansion of the Hand 

1. Extend the fingers and thumb as far as you 
can in every direction, and put mind on tips of 
fingers. Slowly bring them to one focal point. 
Hold attitude tense, and then slowly release. 

2. Delicately pick up something, then expand 
the hand. Up—out; up—closed; out—expand; 
in—out; keep forearm firm . 23 

XI. POISE 

When we take into consideration the wonder¬ 
ful spheres in their respective places, then we be- 

* Opposition in the realm of pivotal lateral oppositions of 
torso and head reveals strength. 

33 A hand should never come to its absolute openness until 
the thought is fully revealed. These exercises make the hand an 
expressive agent, not an inexpressive one. The position of the 
thumb marks the degree of the intelligence of the hand, and 
many times of the individual. 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


54 

gin to have some appreciation of what poise is, 
for God has poised all things. Many times one 
uses the word “poise” in connection with inani¬ 
mate things—and unjustly so—for nothing can 
|be poised unless it has an appreciation and some 
understanding of the Supreme Being. When 
faith is established, we see even the otherwise 
dwarfed individual towering above the physically 
developed brute. One never will be able wholly to 
express himself until he is thoroughly poised— 
First, by an established center, moving en masse; 
Second, by an equilibrated state, so that any 
or all of the particular agents may perform their 
special functions without interfering with or dis¬ 
turbing the other agents of the body. The great 
lack of uniformity throughout all time has been 
owing to lack of poise; it has even allowed the 
acts of individuals to upset the great center of 
states and nations. 

Strife would be a* thing of the past if all hu¬ 
manity were poised and could be brought to be¬ 
lieve in a Oneness with the Creator. Then we 
would deal with the individual conditions as 
though they were universal parts of the whole 
working together. One cannot injure a part with¬ 
out marring the whole. 

When one has come to the realization of a cer¬ 
tain centrality by bringing the notch of the ster¬ 
num perpendicularly to the base of support, then 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 55 

is one brought into the borderland of Poise. And 
what is Poise? This is an endless subject. We can 
touch only briefly upon this important thing which 
is so necessary for all public speakers. 

Poise is a matter of mentality combined with 
spirituality—a supreme lifting-up. It is the re¬ 
lation of the individual to the Universal, or man 
to God. It is the connecting of an imaginary 
thread somewhere within the region of the notch 
of the sternum passing directly through the head 
and upward,. It is allowing one’s self to be sus¬ 
tained or borne up by the “Everlasting Arms.” 
There are different degrees of Poise, and in its 
highest form it is the realisation of a “Peace that 
passeth all understanding.” Poise is contradis- 
tinct to position; whereas position is fixed—is acci¬ 
dental and is changeable—Poise is permanent, is 
fundamental and is unchangeable. 

An object may be fixed into shape, or a person 
may be placed in a certain position by another, 
but Poise can be obtained only through the effort 
of the learner. 

Tests for Poise 

1. Weight on one foot, half kneel; change 
feet without disturbing the rest of the body. 

2. Weight on one foot, toe of free foot on 


5 6 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

heel of strong foot, rise on ball of strong foot, 
slowly kneel. 

3. Toe on heel of strong foot, half kneel, rise 
slowly. 

4. Weight on one foot, swing the other foot 
in front, at side, and back. 

5. Slowly rise upon ball of foot, slowly half 
kneel without disturbing the body or breaking 
the oneness of the body. 

6. Slowly rise on toes, slowly sink, bending the 
knees. Repeat this exercise many times. 24 

Exercises for Obtaining Poise 

1. The Rhythmic Action of the Limbs ( waltz 
time) as follows: 

Weight upon one foot, free foot extended in 
front of the body, hop upon strong foot simul¬ 
taneously allowing the free foot apparently to 
kick the strong foot backward on the count of 
one; then hop upon the strong foot as the foot 
which is extending backward swings forward to 
the strong foot on the count of two; then hop 
again, and the free foot swings forward to an 
extended position on the third count. Vice versa. 

2. Hop on one foot, then on the other. This 
exercise stimulates the thinking, as the motor cen¬ 
ter that controls the feet is located in the base of 
the brain. 

34 In all these exercises we are working to establish a center. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


57 


Presence and Bearing 

The first point of interest to the listener or 
observer is the Presence of the one appearing be¬ 
fore the public . When the speaker or performer 
comes upon the stage, the auditors have their con¬ 
ception all completed and a measure is taken of 
him long before he has said anything. When he 
has presented himself in the best possible man¬ 
ner, one-half of his work is already done; that is, 
he has gained the interest of the audience. 

Every auditor—man, woman or child—who is 
pleased with the speaker’s appearance, is very 
happy to listen to what he has to say; whereas 
when the speaker attempts to deliver some very 
important point, and the channels of expression 
are clogged with constriction, the result will be a 
limited reception on the part of the listener. 
Therefore, it is absolutely useless to attempt the 
mastery of the successive steps of Psycho-Gym¬ 
nastics unless one masters each step, for these 
gymnastics lead into a harmonious development 
of the whole. 

The specific point that presents itself to the 
observer is the manner in which one carries him¬ 
self, and the manner in which different people are 
led;—some are led from the nose, others from 
the toes; again others will be led from the abdo¬ 
men, from the knees, or chest, or forehead. The 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


58 

mystic point which should lead or carry one to¬ 
ward or away from the audience is located some¬ 
where in the region of the notch of the sternum, 
primarily called the “wishbone;” and as each wish 
is a prayer it should be the aim of each individual 
to present to his fellowmen the wish or prayer 
born of his best. 

Every step forward should have an element of 
falling forward; every step backward should be 
characterized with the suggestion of falling back¬ 
ward; every pivot toward a person or object 
should be the suggestion of attraction; every pivot 
from the same should indicate disinterestedness or 
a greater attraction in another direction. No 
movement of any agent of the body should ever 
appear unless there is some subjective or objec¬ 
tive cause, for the law of locomotion is the result 
of attraction and repulsion. 


XII. ELEMENTAL ACTS AND 
ATTITUDES 

i. Hands 

open, close. 

2. Feet 

lift, fall, move sidewise, rotate. 

3. Head 

lift, fall or bow, advance, re¬ 
treat, pivot. 

4. Shoulder 

lift, fall, advance, retreat, ro¬ 
tate. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


5 - 

Elbow 

open, close. 

6. 

Arm 

fold, unfold. 

7 - 

Torso 

expand, contract, twist. 

8. 

Abdomen 

contract, expand. 

9 - 

Hips 

lift, fall, rotate. 

10. 

Jaw 

open, close. 

11. 

Nose 

dilate, contract. 

12. 

Eye 

roll upward, downward, rotate, 
lateral movement. 

id- 

Eyelid 

up, down, inward contraction, 
expansion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 . 

14 * 

Lips 

open, close, contract, expand, 
purse. 


Head, Agent of Intellectuality. 


1. Normally erect 

2. Bowed, Respect 

3. Lifted 

4. Inclined 

5. Pivoted toward 

object or person 

6. Pivoted from ob¬ 

ject or person 

7. Advanced 

8. Drawn back 

9. Hung 

10. Thrown back 


Repose. 

Reverence, Meditation. 
Exaltation. 

Sympathy. 

Attention. 

Inattention. 

Eagerness. 

Antagonism. 
Prostration or Grief. 
Explosion or Agony. 


6o 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


Attitudes of the Feet. 

The feet are the agents through which the 
mind’s force is expressed. Elemental actions of 
the feet are to lift, let fall, a slight curling ten¬ 
dency of contraction or extension, a slight lateral 
movement, and possibly a rotary movement. In 



specifying the attitudes of the feet it is necessary 
to give them in their relation to each other. 

i. Weight upon both feet with narrow base, 
moving parallel, —force enfeebled: This is found 
in an old man, or toddling child, or an imbecile. 
When you find a man upon two feet you will find 
him your servant, his force enfeebled. 







AND SOCIETY DRAMA 61 

2. Weight upon both feet with broad base ,— 
force in familiar or vulgar ease: You will find 
the conceit in this individual beyond measure. If 
he has any intelligence at all, it is so forced down 
by vulgar conditions that he is expressing the very 
lowest that is in him. 

3. Weight upon two feet with one foot in ad¬ 
vance of the other or the weight between the two, 
—hesitation or vacillation or the state of fear: 
You will find this condition in the coward. 

4. Weight upon the back foot, knee of for¬ 
ward foot bent slightly and perpendicular to the 
foot, with free foot slightly in advance, and re¬ 
laxed ,—force in repose. Probably this is the 
strongest attitude of the feet; it is in this attitude 
that a man receives his regenerative force, that is, 
he comes back into a reposeful, poised state. 

5. Weight upon back foot with forward knee 
straightened ,—antagonism or indignation. Many 
a lawyer has antagonized a jury and lost his case 
by standing in this attitude when addressing them. 

6. Weight upon back foot with back knee bent 
and forward knee straightened, —prostration,— 
one of the abnormal attitudes. This is the reason 
that a bow is the prostration of your mentality 
or better self. It is an exceedingly stupid 
audience who will not recognize a bow and 
realize that you are bowing before their men¬ 
tal appreciation. That is why it is worth while 


6 2 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


for you to bow when you make your appearance 
upon a platform, keeping your eyes steadily on 
the audience. It denotes the absolute surrender 
of mental struggle. 

7. Weight upon the forward foot with hack 
foot relaxed and fallen to the floor behind the 
other foot, —force in animation, a condition which 
is found in the active, animated person. It indi¬ 
cates that the intellectual force of the animal man 
is aroused and stirred to activity. No weight 
should be on the back foot in this position. 

8. Weight upon forward foot—broad base: 
force in explosion. This is a decisive step for¬ 
ward. It is the animal force in action, seen 
in the runner or the fighter. 

Moving from one attitude to the other without 
apparent effort, —transitory attitude. This atti¬ 
tude changes according to the changeable man, or 
the transitory force. (Figure not shown.) 

9. Crossing free foot in front of and over 
strong foot, —the servile attitude, objective ser¬ 
vility. In foreign countries all must courtesy to 
the King. 

10. Foot crossed in back, —subjective servil¬ 
ity. 25 


25 These attitudes are also noted in sitting. The vulgar at¬ 
titude is seen in the individual who sits with his feet sprawled 
out. “Force enfeebled” is noticed in the afternoon-tea sort of 
fellow. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


63 


XIII. WALKING 

The mastery of all steps in the Psycho-Gym¬ 
nastic program primarily presupposes the good 
walk. To attempt to teach a student to carry him¬ 
self correctly without having first mastered those 
steps, would be futile indeed, for the beginning of 
a good walk requires poise and purposive prin¬ 
ciples. That sense of uplift, or relation of man 
to God rather than to his “gods,” must be the first 
step; that is,—it requires a carrying uplift with 
the body moving as one, with no twist of the hips, 
or wriggles at the shoulders, or flopping at the 
waist. The notch of the sternum should always 
lead. 

There is a sympathetic co-operative act in every 
good walk wherein is found the sense of activity 
and passivity in the body at the fall of the foot. 
There should be a sympathetic response of the 
head to every walking step which is taken; that is, 
—the head sympathizes and co-operates with the 
labor of any and every other agent of the body; 
as, for instance, when one steps forward, the 
head inclines slightly toward the strong side. If 
this is not found to be the case, then the student 
should immediately proceed to liberate the means 
so that the agents will co-operate harmoniously. 

Man is led from hi£ point of worship. 


6 4 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

We find that the individual who has “other 
gods before Him,” the man who is strongly 
governed by things animal, will be led from the 
abdomen; the weak-kneed individual, the vitally 
collapsed animal, who has yielded to and is daily 
worshiping at the shrine of the weak animal, will 
be led by his knees. Whereas when one is in¬ 
terested in, is paying tribute to, and is ever 
stirred by the vital affections and is tied to Cupid’s 
strings, he or she will be led from the center— 
from the lungs, heart and diaphragm. The 
fighter, the one walking with a “chip on his shoul¬ 
der,” “seeking all whom he may devour,” will be 
led by his jaw. In the over-emotional who are 
stirred by every flapping flag of the flimsy, flut¬ 
tering frill, or “flaunting robes of imbecile idle¬ 
ness,” you will find that the thermometer of pas¬ 
sions, the shoulders, will be advanced and extended 
into every possible niche. The sensuous or volup¬ 
tuous person who enjoys and is susceptible only 
to material things—the things which appeal only 
to the five senses—will be led by the loose and 
limp-licentious lip. The intellectual individual 
who worships at the foot of knowledge, his 
“god,” will be led from the forehead. The ideal 
person who trusts all, having the innocence of 
youth (known as the unsophisticated), is led 
through the eye, and will, under the fire of gro¬ 
tesque conversation, stare in amazement or finally 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 65 

retreat. Then comes the one who is led ab¬ 
normally by the spiritual agent,—the nose,— 
bringing it in contact with things entirely out of 
its sphere, and degrading or lowering the powers 
and purposes of the individual. In another per¬ 
son, we find the arms akimbo, slightly in ad¬ 
vance,—one who is led by his “god conceit.” 
The individual passing down the street, who is 
led by his feet, indicates an accentuation of the 
brute force. 



Figure 7. 


That which constitutes a good walk is this— 
the notch of the sternum or upper part of the 
torso should lead the man, hips firm but not 
stiff. The body should seemingly be sustained 
and suspended from above, and as it is led from 
the notch of the sternum the foot should fall 
along the side of the retired foot, then toes of 
feet will not continually be sticking out in front 
and leading alone. 

The heels should fall upon a line and the feet 
fall at an angle of twelve degrees when moving 
straight forward; and when one comes to a stop, 



66 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

the free foot should relate to the strong foot at 
its regular angle, heel pointed a little back of 
the arch of the other foot. In a good walk, there 
is a sense of being carried, or buoyed up—no 
sense of jar in any part of the body. The back 
should be carried so that a line may be perpen¬ 
dicularly drawn from the first natural curve in the 
spine to the top of hips, and the abdomen will re¬ 
cede into its proper place. Then the breathing will 
be from the diaphragm, and the thinking and ex¬ 
pression will be free. 

XIV. GESTURE 

A gesture is any action resulting from the con¬ 
scious or subconscious activity of the mind; there¬ 
fore, as soon as the body has been equilibrated 
and poised and the individual has been taught 
to think and to live his ideas, all gestures will be 
true and unaffected. The expression “Work upon 
gesture” does not only imply mimicry and non¬ 
thinking, but it also will bring about a result of in¬ 
sipidity and, eventually, imbecility. Perhaps there 
is no phase of this great subject which has so pre¬ 
cipitated the disgrace upon the profession of pub¬ 
lic reading and acting as the misunderstanding in 
regard to this subject of gesture. 

If you have anything to say, say it forcefully 
or deliberately as the thing may indicate, and 
your gestures will take care of themselves. If 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 67 

you are to greet a friend, you never stop to think 
“how shall I put out my hand?” If an automobile 
hurls some mud into your eyes, you do not say 
“how shall I place my hand to remove the ‘real 
estate’?” or if some one is in danger, “how shall 
I assist him and still retain my grace and pretti¬ 
ness?” Let your gestures take care of them¬ 
selves, and once you have been liberated, “To 
thine own self be true and it must follow as the 

night the day, thou canst not then be false to any 
» 


man. 




68 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


XV. NOTES 

The Thorax 

“The lungs are suspended in a closed box, the 
chest cavity, or thorax. The sides of the thorax 
are composed of the ribs, with the muscles and 
other tissues which cover the ribs and fill the spaces 
between them. The backbone and the breastbone 
also help to form the chest walls. The upper side 
of the cavity is closed by a broad muscle, the dia¬ 
phragm, which separates it from the cavity of the 
abdomen.” 

The Diaphragm 

“This very important part of the respiratory 
apparatus is located, as just stated, between the 
chest and the abdomen. It is a muscular parti¬ 
tion, the edges of which are attached to the lower 
ribs. When at rest, the diaphragm is dome¬ 
shaped, rising up into the cavity of the chest. Its 
hollow under surface rests upon the liver, 
stomach, and other organs which occupy the up¬ 
per part of the abdominal cavity. Besides the 
diaphragm, there are a number of other muscles 
attached to the outer surfaces of the ribs which 


I 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 69 

assist in respiration. The abdominal muscles also 
are of essential use in breathing. 

“The action of the diaphragm is important 
in reference to other organs besides the lungs. It 
aids digestion by a sort of kneading action upon 



the stomach. It compresses the liver, empties it 
of its stagnant blood, and forces the bile into its 
proper channels. It hastens the sluggish current 
of the portal circulation, and thus aids in the ab¬ 
sorption of digested food by the mucous mem¬ 
brane of the stomach and the intestines. Its great 
importance demands that it should be allowed to 










70 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

act without the restraint of tight stays or waist¬ 
bands. The practice of tight lacing, so common 
among civilized women (though not practised by 
the women of any uncivilized tribe yet discov¬ 
ered), is so exceedingly harmful, and productive 
of such widespread injury in the body, that it 
can scarcely be considered less than criminal when 
practised by a person who has been informed of 
its evils. (Among savages, men and women 
breathe alike.)”—From a text-book by J. H. 
Kellogg, M. D. 

1. The diaphragmatic action was discovered 
by Lamperti. The story goes that he was once 
aroused from his slumber by the howling of a 
dog. Angry at being thus disturbed, he arose and, 
going to the window, was about to throw some¬ 
thing at the offender, when suddenly his attention 
was arrested by the manner in which the animal 
gave utterance to his howls. He noticed that the 
dog’s chest did not move at all,—that the activity 
was at the diaphragm. This led him to investi¬ 
gate with the result as mentioned above. 

2. Take, for illustration, a baby and watch 
the truthful actions at the diaphragm. A baby 
breathes from the diaphragm, and this should 
convince all that the conditions which govern the 
breathing of the baby are the natural conditions 
for all humanity. The difficulty is that people be¬ 
come unnatural because of unnatural conditions; 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 71 

but every person should, so far as possible, elimi¬ 
nate these conditions. 

3. To awaken in many students a conscious¬ 
ness of the correct method of breathing, it will 
be necessary to make them lie on their backs and 
observe the activity at the center of the body. 26 

4. In sleep every one returns to natural 
breathing. This is one reason why the body is 
so refreshed after a night’s rest. 

Object of These Gymnastics 

1. The main object in teaching is to get the 
absolute concentration of the students. 

2. There is no question of the superiority 
of Psycho-Gymnastics; but the teacher must know 
the subject and be able to present it. 

3. An important point in gymnastics is to 
delineate and diagnose a case. This diagnosis is 
rather difficult, and cannot be done without the 
assistance of a teacher, who understands. Sup¬ 
pose every portion of one’s body seems to be lib¬ 
erated and still the neck is stiff. In that case one 
is held by the top of his head, and not by the best 
of himself. He apparently has poise, but in 
reality has only position. 

4. Spend little time in talking about other 
methods, for you need all your spare time to talk 

“ Unless there is an abnormal constriction, the student will 
return to normal or natural breathing. 


72 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

about your own. It is one thing to know a sub¬ 
ject for one’s self but to know how to teach it 
is quite another matter; you will never realize 
how much or how little you know of your subject 
until people begin to ask you questions. 

Voice or Body Firstf 

1. Does the Voice or the Body come first? 
Work on the body first, then begin on the voice. 
Follow the instructions under normal adjustment 
and the er^ctness of the body, then commence 
on the voice by first working for the breathing. 
Then give the following voice exercises: ha-ha! 
ho-ho! Observe most carefully these three con¬ 
ditions: Stability of the chest, passivity of the 
throat and face; activity of the diaphragm. 

2. Be sure of one fact in your work upon the 
body; that is, that voice and action are as insepa¬ 
rable as food and water. The body must be liber¬ 
ated; you can never show ease in your voice until 
you have grace and freedom in your body. 

C onstricti o n—R elaxati o n 

1. In exercising with heavy apparatus, you 
liberate one agent at the expense of another, thus 
causing constriction. 

2. Exercise for constriction in the throat: 
Roll head around slowly many times on the collar- 


/ 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 73 

bone. 

3. In case of fatigue, lie flat on the back and 
stretch in every direction. Then lie still, rising 
very slowly. You will feel like a new person 
after this exercise. Have the mind in a state 
of rest by thinking pleasant thoughts, then your 
exercise will be of some value to you. Lie re¬ 
laxed for at least fifteen minutes. 

4. Exercise to put one to sleep: Close eyes, 
drop head, drop chest and so on down—give up 
entirely, then slowly rise. 

Oneness 

1. We owe Oneness to the Egyptians. 

2. Never break the Oneness in any Normal 
character, even in the bow of an old man. When 
we have lost Oneness, we have lost the nobility of 
character. 

3. We lose Oneness at the shoulders, hips, 
torso, the waist, and the knees. 

4. Fear causes one to lose Unity and One¬ 
ness. 

5. For chest expansion and training the 
imagination: Pulling a bell by means of a rope; 
driving horses, and pulling back with the lines; 
taking hold of something heavy and pulling back¬ 
ward until the arms pass the body; all imagina¬ 
tively. 

6. Stable chest: One must understand that 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


74 

a stable chest does not mean a rigid chest, but 
a harmonious condition—stable around a center; 
the chest may move resonantly but not collapse. 

7. Exercises to strengthen the muscles of the 
back: Place foot on chair and bend forward 
with hand to foot. Place the hands over the head, 
bend forward to the floor until the tips of the 
fingers touch the floor, keeping the knees straight. 
Repeat this exercise to the left and to the right. 
Lie down on the floor, lift yourself up by the el¬ 
bow, arm, and toe; lie down on your back, keep 
legs and feet down on floor, arms at the side, raise 
the arms and torso up, coming to a sitting position. 
The arm and foot in opposition will strengthen the 
muscles of the back, also the muscles of the abdo¬ 
men, both inward and outward. 

Centralization 

1. Bring about harmonious development, then 
you have an enduring one. 

2. We cannot lose Centralization without 
losing Oneness. 

3. To teach children Psycho-Gymnastics: 
Get together a series of little games that will 
keep the child on one foot; hop-scotch, jump-rope, 
skip-rope. These are excellent for poise and for 
the liberation of ’the hips. Faithful practice of 
these exercises will also bring about the following 
results; it will enable the individual to walk on 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


75 

balls of feet; strengthen the arches of the feet; 
stimulate better thinking. 

4. In Psycho-Gymnastics no muscle should 
be developed to the detriment of the other 
muscles. Everything that can be done with a 
dumbbell can be done without; a wand excels 
bells and Indian clubs, but use of the wand brings 
about parallel movements. Ribbons are better 
still but even the use of ribbons will constrict. 

5. By training each agent to perform its 
function, one comes into the realm of universal 
development. 

Equilibration 

1. Each muscle should have the same value.' 

2. It took the Greeks three thousand years to 
become liberated. 

3. A psychological method of liberating: 
Take some peaceful quotation or passage that is 
noble or joyful, live into each idea, and feel ab- , 
solute control. You can never acquire this abso¬ 
lute control in passages of anger. 

4. The face and nose can only be liberated 
through psychological effort or resource. Get 
mind in absolute repose by thinking passive, 
quiet thoughts. As a result, the face will 
become reposeful. The nose is the spiritual agent 
of the face and can only be liberated through the 

' highest possible spiritual thought. 


7 6 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

5. By establishing a center we liberate the 
surface, and by liberating the surface we establish 
a center. (Delsarte.) 

Transition 

1. We owe our transition to the Romans, as 
they brought in the transitory period. 

2. All expression begins in the eye. It is in¬ 
tellectual—the manifest center, the center of im¬ 
pression and perceptivity which shows mental 
relations. 

Poise 

1. Poise is in the mind. It is fundamental. 
It is drawn from above. It centralizes, levi¬ 
tates—from above. Man is the only animal ca¬ 
pable of levitation. It took three thousand years 
to acquire Poise after Art had begun. The best 
interpreters of Literature, like the best interpreters 
in all Art, usually maintain Poise. An animal can¬ 
not poise; it can balance, however, and it has the 
animal sense and instinct of rest in some agent or 
agents while the others are performing their func¬ 
tions. 

2. Pose represents death not life—stone and 
wood instead of living people. Wax figures 
represent posers and are primarily meant to dis¬ 
play wearing apparel. One may take a power¬ 
ful pose, but he is not poised. Pose is acci- 


77 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 

dental, Poise fundamental. 

3. Balance is an equal division of parts over 
the center of gravity. It centralizes to gravita¬ 
tion. 

4. Position is fixed by one’s own mind or that 
of another. It is accidental. 

5. Bearing is the equalification of character. 
It shows your personality. It is your own. You 
bear equally with everything about you. Many 
people may be poised as you are, but no one else 
can have your bearing. It is the individual ex¬ 
pression of universal relations. It reveals your 
relation to things and people about you,—also 
your environment. 

6. Several reasons for giving the students 
the exercise of standing with the weight on one 
foot: It enables him to differentiate; gives him 
control; enables him to move without making the 
whole body a leg; strengthens the muscles of the 
abdomen by eliminating flabbiness; brings the 
mind into centrality or state of concentration; 
brings about a state of poise; enables him to sug¬ 
gest with activity and passivity the unknown back 
of the known, the unrevealed back of the revealed. 

7. To improve the carriage, to make the back 
graceful and also to ward off a stooping propensity 
which comes with age, or for that matter which is 
often a condition in young people, there is no bet¬ 
ter practice than that of walking with a load on 


78 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

the head. 

In the boarding school half a century ago, the 
young ladies not only frequently reclined upon 
tables or upon the floor for an hour or so each 
day, but paraded the room with books on the 
head, thus gaining the erect carriage and beauti¬ 
ful poise which come naturally to peasant women 
who bear water and other loads on the head dur¬ 
ing the course of their work. 

W diking 

1. Always keep your toes down in walking, 
as if there were a weight upon them. 

2. In teaching Psycho-Gymnastics, it is very 
important to show how people are led by the head, 
face, nose, chin, feet and abdomen. Then show 
the students the correct way, that is, from the 
notch of the sternum. Ask the students which 
way they like the best; always let them decide for 
themselves. In nine cases out of ten, you will 
find their decision in favor of the lead from the 
notch of the sternum. 

3. A walk has the co-operative or sympa¬ 
thetic action of the head, which sympathizes with 
the strong side. 

4. A walk is the act of being led from the 
best of man,—with a continual activity and passiv¬ 
ity of the limbs falling in their normal relation to 
each other. 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


79 

5. The management of the feet shows con¬ 
trol of life force—the center of motion. 

6. Three kinds of walk: The reposeful, 
where the ball of the foot strikes first; normal 
average, where the ball of the foot and the heel 
strike together; the hurried or vital, where the 
heel strikes first. 

Gesture 

1. Faces always oppose each other. 

2. Farce is revealed through parallelism. 

3. Tragedy is revealed through opposition. 

4. The more meaningless movements you 
make, the less meaning, there will be in the move¬ 
ments you may wish to make. (Delsarte.) 

5. While the head affirms, the hand attests. 

Health and the Correction of Irregularities 

1. Special exercises where one shoulder is 
higher than the other. Proceed as follows: 

a. Take weight on side where shoulder is 
lowest, arm on that side raised above head, lean 
over to the other side, stretching. 

b. Rotate the shoulders, lifting each one. 

2. Exercise for a bow-legged person: 

a. Stand with legs absolutely together. Put 
a strap around both legs at the knees, standing 
about one-half hour in that position. Draw up 


80 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

strap one hole at a time as condition improves. 

b. Take exercises—carrying one foot for¬ 
ward, backward, placing free foot at side, then 
back beside the strong foot. 

3. For a stiff-hipped individual: Take lib¬ 
erating exercises of the hip, especially the one 
on an elevation. 

4. For a loose-jointed individual: There is 
something wrong with the mind, and that person 
must be awakened to higher ideals. First, estab¬ 
lish the Oneness of the body, never allowing it 
to sag down. Use the hip exercises, but see to 
it that the individual is carried from the notch 
of the sternum, that is with a sense of upliftment 
held from above. In the walk, be sure that the 
hips are firm but free. 

5. An individual who has one hip higher 
than the other: Take hip liberation exercises, es¬ 
pecially the one on an elevation. 

6. For a chicken-breasted person: Lie face 
down, then on the back, and stretch out. 

7. To remedy shoulder blades that are too 
obtrusive, there are many exercises but these three 
are beneficial: 

a. Stand with the back to the wall; stretch 
out the arms with the back of the hands against 
the wall; keep this position for a few minutes. 

b. Fold the arms, stand with the back against 
the wall; crook the elbows and raise them and 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 81 

lower them. This helps the muscles of the back 
and arms. 

c. Stand in a doorway, place your hands on 
each side of it, let the body sway gently backward 
and forward into the opening. 

8. Remember the effect that an erect posi¬ 
tion has upon the joints in the backbone. Each 
of the joints in the backbone should be separate, 
moving easily, without any stiffness whatsoever. 
The joints in the backbone are separated, and 
they should remain so through life. 

As long as we stand straight, the spine, instead 
of being parallel with the ground, stands up on 
end, and each joint in the backbone presses down 
upon those beneath it by force of weight. 

As a result, the backbone of nearly all human 
beings is more or less badly affected. Some of 
the joints are pressed out to one side. The nerves 
that supply the different parts of the body with 
nervous energy and control the circulation of the 
blood throughout our internal apparatus, lie along 
the backbone and branch out at various places in 
the joints of the spine. These nerves are often 
pinched and interfered with by the bad condition 
of the backbone. 

9. The following exercise is excellent for 
stretching the backbone and for keeping the spine 
straight: Bend forward very slowly and carefully 
at first, drawing in the stomach and bending the 


82 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


body forward until you touch the floor with the 
tips of your fingers—keeping the knees straight. 

10. Hanging from the limb of a tree or from 
a horizontal pole for a short time each day is also 
an excellent exercise. 

Give your body a chance by holding yourself 
really straight and keeping in place the compli¬ 
cated machinery of the body. (See Figure 8.) 

11. “Parents should aim to learn how to treat 
their children for health: Keep them from sit¬ 
ting as much as possible; teach them by precept 
and example to crawl around on all fours to re¬ 
lieve all the internal organs from the down-sag¬ 
ging incident to man’s abnormal upright position, 
a kind of action that would, if sufficiently attended 
to, prevent many of the grievous disorders so com¬ 
mon with old and young, as, for example, ‘floating 
kidney’ (a prolapsed kidney, always), prolapsus 
uteri, prolapsed stomach, prolapsed transverse 
colon (the cause of colitis, since it dams up the 
ascending colon and causes it to swell out with 
contents that cannot move forward as nature de¬ 
signs, and gives rise to ‘inflammation of the bow¬ 
els,’ always the real disease in cases falsely called 
‘appendicitis’). Imagine the influence of right 
treatment along these lines upon the health of 
old and young!” Charles E. Page, M. D. 


PART TWO 


SOCIETY DRAMA 




\ 


SOCIETY DRAMA 


Society Drama 

The correct manner and movement of people 
in relation to their fellowmen at all times and in 
all places is Society Drama; or Society Drama may 
be explained as the simplest performance of an act 
in the presence of others,—yet a performance re¬ 
taining all the dignity of manhood. 

Stage “Pictures” 

The “picture” upon the stage, or in a well-ar¬ 
ranged drawing-room, is of great and grave im¬ 
portance to the auditors or guests. Like a paint¬ 
ing, it must be arranged with all the art that is 
therein implied. The room should balance in 
every particular; the furniture should be placed 
so that the people will be seated w.ith their faces 
in proper relation to the audience or hostess, ex¬ 
cept when it is especially planned that a certain 
small group may have its back, or one or two 
backs, to the audience; in the latter case it should 
be well thought out, and have a definite purpose in 
the arrangement. “Capillary attraction may be 
85 


86 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


very interesting, yet a whole head of hair will not 
hold an audience,” for the most interesting part 
of a human being is the face. Therefore, faces 
should be related in opposite and not in parallel 
lines, and unless brought about for a definite ef¬ 
fect, there should never be straight lines upon the 
stage. The lines should be broken in triangles; 
that is, the groups should be arranged triangularly, 
so that one side of the triangle will be open for 
the observation and gratification of the spectator. 

Platform and Stage Rules 

Ascending and descending the platform 

In ascending or descending the platform, start 
to ascend or descend with the foot farthest from 
the audience. 

Position on the platform 

In moving upon the platform, start with the 
foot in the direction in which you are about to go. 
If the foot is not free, the weight must be trans¬ 
ferred. 

Preparation in Sitting 

Walk straight to the chair or seat, and take 
weight upon foot nearest your audience, seeing to 
it that calf of leg touches the edge of seat. Lower 
straight down into seat, making sure that backbone 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


87 

is straight. As you rise from chair, feel the sense 
of being drawn up from the notch of the sternum, 
weight wholly on one foot. Be alive and active. 
The activity should be one of controlled anima¬ 
tion, suggesting inward power. 

Sitting 

In sitting, we pass to our chair sustained from 
the point at the notch of the sternum, and we 




Correct. Incorrect. 

Figure 9. Figure 10. 

are lowered, at the same time upheld from that 
notch. This condition should remain unchanged 
at all times and under all circumstances; that is, 
there should be no broken “jack-knifing,” or sag- 


88 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

_ ging down when sitting or rising, and at the same 
time, there should be no harsh lines between your¬ 
self and your auditor, as for instance, sitting with 
the strong foot away from the auditor. It can 
readily be seen that the sharp angle of the knee 




forms a wall between the seated person and his 
auditor. Therefore, the strong knee should be 
toward the audience. 

Sitting on the platform 

In taking a sitting position on the platform, 
“break” on foot toward audience, strong foot 
next to chair. If sitting directly facing audience, 
it is immaterial which foot is the strong one, or 
on which foot you break. If you have occa- 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 89 

sion to leave, rise straight up on strong foot, 
transfer your weight if necessary and pass out, 
starting with the free foot. Never walk back¬ 
ward on leaving a platform. 

Preparation in rising 

Sit well forward, the strong foot close to the 
chair, the ball of foot directly under or perpen¬ 
dicular to the sternum, heel slightly raised; rise 
straight up, with weight on the ball of the strong 
foot. 

When you rise from the chair, the act should 
start from the “best of man,” somewhere in the 
region of the notch of the stenYum. Other things 
being equal, the same Oneness and Centralization 
as revealed in the walk should be thoroughly car¬ 
ried out in rising and sitting. 

Kneeling 

The kneel should always be a simple sinking of 
the body, following the break at the knee or 
knees, and under no circumstances should there 
be a break in any other part of the body until 
the knee has come in contact with the earth. Then 
the body should slowly sink into a folding pos¬ 
ture with the head bowing last. The return to 
normal starts with the straightening of the body, 
beginning at its lowest extremity at the base of 
the spinal column; the body rises to its full height, 


9 o PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

being lifted up at the notch of the sternum, with 
the head lifted last. 

Kneeling on a chair 

When kneeling on a chair, the strong knee, is 
farthest from the audience. 

Kneeling on platform or stage 

Kneel with weight on foot farthest from audi¬ 
ence. Rest on knee towards audience. If you 
are facing the audience, it is immaterial which 
knee is the strong one. 

Entering and Leaving a Room 

One of the difficult things in Society Drama is 
to enter and to leave a room correctly. You will 
find the diffident person stumbling about, walk¬ 
ing over things, seemingly nosing the door. He 
apparently needs both hands and feet to open and 
close it and nine times out of ten he will trip in 
departing. 

On entering a room, face the door, and should it 
swing to the left, grasp the knob with the left 
hand, open the door, step inside, swing the door 
behind you, grasp the inner knob with your right 
hand and quietly close the door. If the door 
swings to the right, grasp the knob with the right 
hand, open the door, step inside, grasp the inner 
knob with your left hand, and quietly close the 


AND SOCIETY DRAMA 


9 1 

door. On arriving inside the room, greet the 
hostess with a slight bow when she offers her 
hand. Wait until the hostess is seated, then accept 
the chair indicated. 

On leaving a room, mention that you must 
go; rise, walk directly to the door, turn and face 
the hostess, and make your excuses. If the 
door-knob is at your right, grasp the knob with 
that hand, quietly open the door, swinging it back 
of you, then grasp the outer knob or handle, bow 
yourself out, (you are still facing your hostess) 
and quietly close (never slam) the door. Do not 
linger after you have said you are about to depart. 

Handling a Train 

Walk directly to the chair; turn, and the train 
will fall in a graceful curve; relate by breaking 
foot nearest the audience. On leaving the stage 
or platform, move directly to the door, open door 
by swinging it past you, make low courtesy, pick 
up train, placing it on the arm, and close door. On 
return, close door, and drop train at the same time. 

Stage Fall 

Of all dramatic actions the fall is one of the 
most interesting. After observing many of the 
crude collapses or prostrations upon the stage, 
one wonders if the technical training in this par¬ 
ticular direction is no longer in vogue. 


92 PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 

The majority of stage falls are, unfortunately, 
at most times, a disgrace to the art. 

The fall, literally speaking, is an artistic thing, 
and has a fundamental technique which cannot be 
evaded if the actor wishes to spare his feelings and 
also save himself from injury. 

To make a fall at the side, you should kneel, 
break at the hip toward the knee upon which the 
weight is resting, until the hip and the hand upon 
the same side strike the floor, arm sliding straight 
out, breaking at the elbow and then at the shoul¬ 
der; and finally lie upon your side. In getting 
up, rise from the shoulder, rolling on the elbow 
—then with weight upon the hand, roll upon the 
hip, rising on the knee and then directly up. 

To fall backward, place one foot back of you 
so that the knee will come behind the strong foot; 
in a kneeling posture, sit down, let the body col¬ 
lapse, and fall as stated above. 

To fall forward, break upon the strong foot, 
kneel upon the knee in the direction in which you 
are to fall, lift the head well up, roll well forward 
upon the abdomen with the palms of the hands 
striking forward, and then lower the body down 
until the face touches the floor. 

A fall sidewise, backward, or forward, may 
be counted as follows: The break of the knee 
(i), hip (2), hands (3), body (4), head (5). 

Constant practice of these exercises will en- 



AND SOCIETY DRAMA 93 

able one to fall quickly without jarring the head 
or causing injury to the body. 

Stage 

1. In moving backward on the stage keep balls 
of feet close to the floor. 

2. Animation, weight on foot from audience. 

3. Repose, toward audience. 

Crossing Legs 

There are a few important things to be ob¬ 
served when one is seated in the presence of an¬ 
other, and not the least of these is the way of 
crossing the legs; that is, one leg lifted over the 
other just above the knee. 

The evil effects resulting physiologically from 
just this peculiar position are too numerous to men¬ 
tion. The first, and most important from this 
point of view, is that it constricts the two great 
arteries which pass down the inner side of the 
legs, and causes a retarded circulation. Any¬ 
thing which interferes with the blood circulation 
in any way will have its ill effect sooner or later 
upon the body, to say nothing of the mind. 

Psychologically, the crossing of the legs indi¬ 
cates a struggle for control. No persons, and espe¬ 
cially ladies, when in company, should cross the 
legs, if for no other reason than to avoid the 
spectacular demonstration which it unconsciously 
reveals to the casual observer. 


94 


PSYCHO-GYMNASTICS 


The person with a well-trained mind will, 
through a sense of refinement, refrain from ele¬ 
vating the feet, crossing the legs, or sitting with 
the legs sprawled apart in the presence of an¬ 
other. 


Society Drama Notes 

1. In picking up articles, be sure to break 
on knee toward the majority of audience, keeping 
the body erect. Never kneel on the knee when 
picking up anything from the floor, simply bend at 
hips and knees. 

2. If one sits erect, he will find that he will 
be able to think better and also to make a better 
impression on his audience. 

3. Sit so as to be always prepared to rise, 
and as you rise, have the feeling of something 
lifting you up, not being pushed up by something 
beneath you. 

4. While sitting, do not have a wall between 
yourself and your audience, that is, do not have a 
stiff leg between you and your auditor. Keep your 
relation. 

5. Sit erect if you do not wish to grow old 
before your time. By allowing your body to 
slump down, you curve the spine, causing a pres¬ 
sure on nerves and blood vessels, and thus cut¬ 
ting off a normal supply of blood to all parts of 
the body. (See figure 12.) 



































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